College, Girl ? COMPLETE

PART ONE - CHAPTER ONE: The first time around

***NOTE TO READER***

Hullo reader!

Thanks for stopping by! I wrote this book a few, okay maybe more than a few... after my daughter was born I had this dream that I was living in my sorority house as A GROWN MARRIED WOMAN. 

I liked the premise. 

I worked on the book for a year, then moved onto another project, a documentary titled Love Under Fire: The Story of Bertha & Potter Palmer. 

I did finish THAT project!!!

I thought it would be fun to dust off this story again. I noticed that some of this is outdated. Like who still uses a Blackberry??? Right?

Please feel free to comment suggestions, impressions, etc. 

Thanks for reading!

Amelia

Andrea Harrison stood in front of the Zeta Delta sorority house in awe. She let out a sigh as she admired the house.  It really was the prettiest house on campus. Her eyes traced the black pitched roof, the large Corinthian columns framed by the large silver Greek letters. The brick was painted white and when it rained the house turned pink. The fact that their sorority colors were pink and green was more than a happy coincidence. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sweet distinctive smell of clove cigarettes.

"I can't believe you joined a fucking sorority. You of all people, you were supposed to be...I don't know smarter than that," stated her best friend Deanna Morris plaintively as she stamped out her cigarette on the sidewalk. Deanna's appearance was that of a chic Goth-girl. Her white skin was framed with her long coal black hair and her eyes were rimmed with dark charcoal liner. Her lips were the only bright spot on her entire body punctuated by bright cherry red lipstick. Standing there the two of them made an odd pair, Andrea with her big hair, oversized t-shirt with large shoulder pads stuffed into her bra straps and bright white Keds was a shocking contrast to Deanna's black.

"What are you doing here?" asked Andrea.

"I thought I'd save you from completely turning into a Stepford Wife by kidnapping you for a cup of coffee," she explained as she stubbed out her cigarette with her scuffed up Doc Martens.

"I have rush practice and then the Tau Omegas are throwing us a welcome back barbeque," she explained patiently.

"Rush practice? Good grief Drea. I'm too late. They have already turned you. Look I'm roasting in this hot sun. The smell of cow shit from wafting off the farmland is going to make me barf. Please come with me for a quick cup of coffee? Drew is being a royal dick and I need to talk to you."

"Drew? I thought you gave him back all his CDs, books and paints. Then told him it was over, over for good this time after you took a kitchen knife to his canvases."

"Yeah, well he made me this Cure mix tape. It got me all weepy and melancholic so I took him back."

"Why Deanna, do you waste your time on some second rate eternal grad student? His paintings...can I be completely honest with you? They suck."

"You don't know shit about art," Deanne responded trying to defend Drew.

"Probably not, but you are just way too smart and way too talented to waste your time on that loser."

"Should I be like you? Just study all the fucking time and go to Rush practice for fun? When was the last time you were on a date?" Deanna was now trying to deflect the attention from her life.

"I went to formal last spring. You know I don't date. Dating is a waste of time," Andrea responded like a young woman who has the world figured out.

Deanna surveyed the house with disdain. "Dating is a waste of time, but rush practice isn't? Do these people even know you? Do any of your 'sisters' know about your mommy dearest mother?"

"No, no they don't. Why would I tell them anyway?"

"Because they are supposed to be your friends, friends are people who know the real you but like you anyway."

"Did you read that on a coffee mug?" Andrea said as she pushed Deanna gently with her arm. They had been friend since their entire lives and Andrea knew Deanna would forgive her.

"For the last time, before I pass out in the mid day sun with the smell of cow shit penetrating my nostrils; will you go to The Coffee House with me even though I am not your 'sister' for life?" Deanna used air quotes to punctuate sister.

Girls were starting to pour out of the house and onto the front lawn. Their excited voices tinkled as the sound hung in the muggy late summer air.

She pulled at her faded t-shirt suddenly feeling self-conscious, "Okay, Andrea. I'll let you go practice to make new friends, but don't forget your old friends," Deanna said trying to end the conversation on a light note.

Andrea leaned over to whisper in Deanna's ear, "I won't. You know why I joined in the first place?"

"Of course, for your resume. Why do you do anything?" Deanna gave her a hug, put her ear phones on and started walking down the street. Andrea could hear the Cure's Pictures of You blasting through Deanna's earphones.

One of the girls came up to Andrea and pulled a face when she asked her, "Who was that?"

Andrea cleared her throat as she responded, "Just an old friend. We met in kindergarten."

"She's kinda, like I don't know different? Ya know? Like arty or something."

"Yeah, she's a fashion slash art major. In ten years, you'll probably be wearing her clothes."

Just then someone clickedon a CD player which was the signal for the girls to get into formation on thefront lawn of the sorority house. Andrea got in the back of the line as one ofthe girls counted down to rehearse the opening rush number.